New to PC, HELP!

[jackswallen]

Here's a $900AR build:

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

CPU: *Intel Core i5-4590 3.3GHz Quad-Core Processor ($189.99 @ NCIX US)
Motherboard: *ASRock Z97 Anniversary ATX LGA1150 Motherboard ($74.99 @ Micro Center)
Memory: *Team Zeus Yellow 8GB (2 x 4GB) DDR3-1600 Memory ($67.99 @ Newegg)
Storage: *Crucial MX100 128GB 2.5" Solid State Drive ($69.93 @ Amazon)
Storage: *Hitachi Ultrastar 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($45.99 @ Amazon)
Video Card: *PowerColor Radeon R9 280 3GB TurboDuo Video Card ($140.00 @ Newegg)
Case: *Antec GX500 ATX Mid Tower Case ($29.99 @ Newegg)
Power Supply: *Corsair CX 600W 80+ Bronze Certified Semi-Modular ATX Power Supply ($49.99 @ Newegg)
Optical Drive: *Lite-On iHAS124-14 DVD/CD Writer ($13.99 @ Newegg)
Operating System: *Microsoft Windows 8.1 (OEM) (64-bit) ($89.98 @ OutletPC)
Monitor: *Acer G246HLAbd 60Hz 24.0" Monitor ($129.99 @ Amazon)
Total: $902.83
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
*Lowest price parts chosen from parametric criteria
Generated by PCPartPicker 2014-11-06 09:20 EST-0500

Before rebates it's about $1000, so maybe wait to get the SSD until some rebates come back. I picked a low-end Z mobo because it's only $10 more than H, and so that someday you could pick up a then-used K chip and overclock.

can you take the monitor out and put that money towards a better gpu? I can probably get parts from my parents because christmas is coming up plus my birthday.

 

[Cerb]

If you got a cooler with a backplate, install the backplate before you install the motherboard into the case. Then, install the PSU cables before the heatsink.

Cable routing, to be out of the way, will take time. Period. You need to be able to visualize where they can all fit. It's not uncommon for folks that show their PCs off to get flexible extension cables, so they can just have it all tied on the back side of the motherboard. If you get a modular PSU, you can make it easier, by being able to unplug the cables, to reroute them, from each end.

For antistatic, just avoid carpet, if possible, definitely don't shuffle on carpet if you walk over it, and touch the case a lot, at least once every time you walk to the PC. And make sure to do that before picking up electronic parts. What matters is that everything is close to the same potential, not close to Earth potential. Aside from places where it's a regulatory need, or in a scientific laboratory, hardly anybody uses anti-stat straps. You want to not be able to build up a charge that could discharge to a fragile component. Many small charges changing the potential of both yourself and the PC being built are not a problem, so long as the potential of yourself and the case are close to one another.

 

[mfenn]

If you think HDDs with a mfg date of 2009 are legitimate new stock, then I've got a bridge I would like to sell you... "new".

That's what we call FUD, or to get Latin with it, argumentum in terrorem. They are labeled as new, so unless you have evidence that they're selling re-certified or otherwise used drives as new, then your argument is built on a logical fallacy.

All you have to do is to show Hitachi an invoice (which Amazon handily stores for you) to get your warranty claim processed. And if they give you any evidence of the drive being remanufactured, you report that to Amazon and get your money back from them (even faster probably).